The Mountains Win Again
by Almasy11
Summary: Seifer attempts suicide, then has a nervous breakdown. As Quistis tries to comfort the gunbladist, Rinoa returns to reveal she still loves him. SeiftisSeifnoa love triangle. Complete!
1. Default Chapter

**_The Mountains Win Again_**

Seifer sighed and pulled on his trench coat. Now seven years after the Ultimecia incident, he was back in Garden. But all the same, he was terribly lonely. Zell and Squall wanted nothing to do with him, and the same could be said for Rinoa. Selphie never spoke to him, and Irvine never knew him anyway. Instructor Trepe… Well, she was a whole different story. Quistis was the only one who had forgiven him for his crimes.

Still, though all that had happened, Seifer tried to stay content. To try and pick up the pieces of his shattered life.

He put on a fake smile, as he stepped out of his dorm, and into the hall. Even now, students would give him dirty looks as he passed.

_**I pick up my smile, And put in my pocket.**_

_**Hold it for a while, Try not to have to drop it.**_

_**Men are not to cry, so how am I to stop it?**_

_**Keep it all inside, don't show how much she rocked ya'**_

As he walked into the cafeteria, he didn't even bother getting anything to eat; the lunch workers would just spit in his food anyway. Looking over, he spotted Squall and Rinoa, sitting together.

They looked so happy. Seifer had to fight off a tear, as Rinoa looked his way, he dropped his gaze to the plain white table he was sitting alone at. He couldn't even look her in the eye. After all that had happened, he couldn't even look at her straight.

_**Ooh, can you feel the same?**_

_**Ooh, you gotta love the pain.**_

_**Yeah, it looks like rain again.**_

_**Ooh, I feel it comin' in,**_

_**The mountains win again**_

_**The mountains win again.**_

Remembering the fun times he had with Rinoa, that came crashing down was still painful. Everyone thought that Seifer was the one who broke off the relationship, but they were fools. She was the one who left him. She said he wasn't good enough; he didn't buy her enough things. He had still loved her all the way up to the day he went to Timber to hold the president hostage. And yet everyone still thought he broke up with her.

It was that single day that ruined his life. The day that he was stupid enough to think that kidnapping the president would make Rinoa love him again. After the incident, when Seifer was put on trail, Rinoa said things about how it hurt her that the Sorceress manipulated someone she loved. All lies. She only cared for herself. Rinoa always was good at playing the part of the innocent little girl.

_**Dreams we dreamed at night, were never meant to come to life.**_

_**I can't understand, the ease she pulled away her hand.**_

_**This time in my life, I was hurt enough to care.**_

_**I guess from now on, I'll be careful what I share.**_

_**Ooh, can you feel the same?**_

_**Ooh, you gotta love the pain.**_

_**Ooh, it looks like rain again.**_

_**Yeah, I feel it comin' in,**_

_**The mountains win again**_

_**Ah The mountains win again**_

Seifer abruptly got up from his place, rushing out of the cafeteria. It was just too painful to watch. He couldn't stand it anymore. Walking toward the training center, he decided on what he had to do.

It was the only way out. He had been grabbed by fate and ripped into pieces; it was like he was destined to be controlled by the sorceress. There was no way to avoid it; he was born to be screwed around with by fate. He was fates b.

Well screw fate, he was going to change his destiny. He couldn't be screwed around with if he was dead, and that was exactly what he was going to be in about five minutes. He slowly walked into the secret area of the training center; not realizing a certain other blonde was watching his every move.

Slowly putting Hyperion to his wrist, he took a deep breath and readied himself, as Quistis jumped out of the shadows.

"Seifer no!" Quistis yelled in concern.

"Leave me alone Instructor, I have to do this." Seifer said bitterly.

"I said NO!" Quistis used her whip to pull hyperion away. Quistis ran up and enveloped Seifer in a comforting hug, just as he collapsed to his knees in tears.

"Seifer, don't kill yourself." She whispered in his ear, as she stroked his hair. "I still love you." Quistis pressed her lips to his, giving him a gentle kiss.

_**Someday I will find, love again will blow my mind.**_

_**Maybe it will be, that love that got away from me.**_

_**Is there a line to write, that could make you cry tonight…**_

_**Ooh can you feel the same?**_

_**Ooh, you gotta love the pain.**_

_**Yeah, it's looks like rain again,**_

_**Yeah, I feel it comin' in,**_

_**The mountains win again.**_

_**Ooh the mountains win again…**_


	2. chapter 2

The Mountains Win Again 

A/N: Well I took the advice of some of my reviewers, and made this a long story.

Chapter two

Quistis let out a sigh as she stepped out of her classroom, with her usual air of professionalism. Clutching her folder tight to her chest, she started down the hall, not realizing she was frowning. Quistis was deep in thought, lost in her own world. After Seifer's suicide attempt, he had had a nervous breakdown. The Garden's only reaction was to put him in a straight jacket, and toss him in a room with padded walls.

Now he was screaming feverishly about his new movie, and no one but Quistis seemed to care. It was completely unfair, the way they were treating him. You would think, being the supposedly virtuous foundation Garden was, they would at least make an attempt to help him.

"Hey Quisty!" Quistis heard a shrill voice from behind her.

The blonde didn't answer; she only lowered her gaze and continued walking, as Selphie came up alongside her.

"Hey Quisty! Squall and Rinoa sent me to tell you that we're all going out tonight, so we figured maybe you could come." The bubbly Brunette skipped slightly ahead of her taller friend.

"No." Was the flaxen haired woman's only reply.

"Why?" Selphie slowed to Quistis' rate and weakened her smile.

"I don't want to talk about it." Quistis quickly picked up pace, leaving Selphie behind.

"And… And then I told him, I-I don't really under-understand the source of my character's pain." Seifer gently rocked himself back and forth, leaning against the wall in solitary confinement.

"So he told me, it-it doesn't matter if you understand, it's that your character understands. And that-… And that always stuck with me." Seifer widened his bloodshot eyes.

Kadowaki hung her head, as she watched him from outside the room. His life so far was a terrible tragedy.

Rinoa walked into the Infirmary, Squall was waiting outside. She was coming to voice her hate for Seifer, though she felt it difficult once there.

"Rinoa, how can I help you?" Kadowaki turned to the small woman.

"I'm here to see Seifer." She stated.

"Are you sure? He could be dangerous. I mean, he is in a straight jacket, but-" Kadowaki tried to intervene.

"I said I want to go in." She said more sternly.

"Suit yourself." Kadowaki cleared the way.

Rinoa locked the large door behind her, darkening the room. Even with it so dark, it was easy to see what a horrible state he was in. His usual combed to perfection hair was messed up, and his eyes were bloodshot. He was pale, and there were bags under his eyes.

"Hey there." She greeted, kneeling down next to him. She couldn't bring herself to say what she originally intended.

"Um.. Hi! Are you from the network?" He inquired.

"No. Seifer, I know you can't really know what I'm saying right now, but I just…" She looked down, finding she was unable to talk to him while looking him in the face.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I should've been a better girlfriend."

"I-I'm, my next role is a three parter in the… Umm…" Seifer stopped his incoherent speech, for the first looking up at Rinoa.

"This is all my fault Seif… I can never fix the damage I've done, but I just had… I had to face you." The raven haired woman continued her confession.

"Yeah, I'm thinking about ditching this last part and um… No.." Seifer mumbled to himself.

"Seif, just please get well soon, okay?" She planted a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Yeah, okay." He offered her the only response that made sense since she had gotten there, as she proceeded out of the infirmary. Meeting Squall outside, he greeted her with a smile.

"So'd you let him have it?" He took her by the hand.

"No… He let himself have it." She frowned.

………………………………………………………………………………………

Quistis stepped into her dorm, setting down the papers she was supposed to grade. With a sigh, she stripped and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away her worries.

………………………………………………………………………………………

A/N: This chapter was NOT meant to be funny. Please review people, I need inspiration, to give me some motivation, so I can do some instigation, and stimulation, so I cando some propagation on this story! Hey… That was kinda cool.


	3. chapter 3

The Mountains Win Again 

Chapter three

Quistis stepped out of the shower, drying herself off and changing into her usual attire. With nothing better to do, she decided to head to the infirmary.

By the time she was halfway to the Infirmary, she heard quick footsteps following her. Turning around quickly, she found Zell.

"Hey Quistis!" He greeted her with a smile, and a wave of his hands.

"What do you want?" Quistis continued toward her destination.

"Why so hostile?" He jogged to catch up with her.

"I'm busy now."

"But… You just got finished with your classes for the day, what could you possibly have to do?"

"For your information, Seifer's in solitary confinement," She frowned. "And no one else seems to care, so I guess I'm the only person who's going to show the poor man compassion."

"Quistis… Seifer deserves whatever he's getting. He tried to kill every one of us, don't forget that."

Quistis turned to face Zell, anger flaring in her eyes. "If you would ever forget about the stupid grudge you've had against him for picking on you, you might not be so blind ot the fact that he's a human being!"

"Sorry!" He threw his hands up in defeat. "But it's not just the way he ridiculed me. He tried to _destroy the world_!"

"That was seven years ago Zell! He was already tried for his crimes, and found not guilty, so there's NO reason for you to still hold anything against him! He was under Ultimecia's control!" Quistis continued walking, as Zell continued to follow her.

"But still-"

"And besides that, I seriously doubt we know the whole story." Quistis shook her head. "Now do me a favor, and leave me alone Zell."

Zell let out a sigh, as he hung his head.

Later…

Quistis walked into the infirmary, sitting in Kadowaki's vacant chair. Kadowaki got off work at around seven, and so Seifer was left all alone. Of course, it's not like anyone would do anything for him anyway. As it was, he hadn't eaten at all that day.

Opening the door to the cell, Quistis stepped in, not bothering to close it.

"H-h-hello…" Seifer mumbled, fighting to keep his eyes open. "I th-think I know you."

"Yes, you do." Quistis smiled, kneeling down next to him.

"Y-you're the instructor right?" Seifer's voice cracked, as he looked over to Quistis, sadness in his eyes.

"That's right." Quistis put her hand on his shoulder. "And do you know what you're name is?"

"I'm… I'm… My name is… I don't know my name." He lay down on the padded floor, curling up into a ball.

"Do you want something to eat?" She asked.

"Y-yes." He lifted his head to look up at her, and then rested his head back onto the soft floor.

"I'll be right back." She smiled at him, and then departed. The cafeteria was closed, so she had to improvise a little bit, taking some food from her dorm.

She arrived a few minutes later, carrying a big bag of assorted food items. Dropping the bag on the floor of the cell, she untied the bag, and saw Seifer's eyes light up.

"You're b-back already?" He managed to sit up without the use of his arms.

"I hope you're hungry." She smiled.

"Yeah." He started slurring his speech

"Now, before you start eating, I'll have to undo that straight jacket." She reached for the latches on his jacket.

"Y-you mean that I can get out of this thing?" He smiled lightly.

"Of course. You don't seem dangerous to me." She started undoing the latches. "Maybe this morning you were, and yesterday, but you've regained most of your coherency since then."

"Um… Yeah. Even since you've been gone a lot of things have come back to me." He nodded. "I remember my name now… And I remember what I tried to do. Everyone hates me…"

"Don't even think back to it." She pulled him into her arms, as he shook the straight jacket free.

"This is all… Happening so fast." He muttered. "I've always refused to let people see the real me. I don't even know what's real anymore..."

"Shhh." She planted a gentle kiss on his temple, as the two sat quietly in each other's arms.

……………………………..

A/N: Well, that's the third chapter. Hope you people like it. I need more reviews!


	4. chapter 4

The Mountains Win Again 

Chapter 4

Seifer awoke in a daze, the events of the night before slowly coming back to him. Realizing he wasn't in the straight jacket, he scanned his surroundings, coming to the conclusion that he was in the infirmary bed. He saw Quistis, asleep in the recliner next to the bed, a slight smile on her face.

He sat up, and realized his shirt was missing. Luckily, that was all that was gone. He looked over to the side of the bed, and grabbed his shirt off the floor. Standing up, he pulled on his trench coat, and walked out into main room.

Kadowaki spotted him, and stood up. "You're awake."

"No s." He replied sarcastically.

"Quistis convinced me that you had regained coherency. And so you were allowed out of the cell." Kadowaki informed.

"But only on two conditions." Seifer heard a voice say from behind him. Turning around quickly, he realized it was Quistis. "Kadowaki still doesn't believe you are well enough to live on your own, so you'll be staying with me."

"Aren't there rules against this kind of thing?" Seifer put on his signature smirk.

"We've already gone through to Cid, and he approved. The other condition… I don't think you'll like. You have to undertake therapy."

"WHAT?" He yelled, his face showing obvious signs of anger.

"I think we better leave." Quistis grabbed Seifer by the hand and drug him out of the infirmary.

Later…

"Quistis… I don't want therapy!" Seifer yelled.

"Would you rather go back in the cell?" Quistis narrowed her eyes.

"… …" Seifer hung his head.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." She tried not to crack a smile.

"Were you just smiling?" He asked.

"No." She replied. " Last night…You weren't yourself. I know inside, you desperately want to be a better person, but in a way, you're punishing yourself for your crimes."

"Oh." Was Seifer's first reaction. "I thought you were only an expert observer when commander puberty was involved."

"Haha, don't forget, you were both my students." She laughed.

"Yeah, but puberty boy was always your favorite." Seifer said bitterly.

"That's…" Quistis was in total shock. She had never even realized the way she treated Seifer when he was her student.

"Just forget it." He ended the conversation.

A few minutes later, the two walked into Quistis' dorm. Seifer dropped his bags in the corner, and sat at the table in the kitchenette.

Quistis walked in a moment later and sat next to him. "So, we'll be living together for awhile, so I guess we should learn to get along better.

"You're not the problem…" Seifer mumbled under his breath.

"Huh?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I said you're not the problem." He replied. "You're easy to get along with, but I'm not."

"Seifer… Do you remember what happened last night?" She took his hand.

"No" He lied.

"I want you to know." She released his hand, and he folded his arms. "Like I said, You were... Different." She squeezed his hand. "You were sweet. You acted the way that… Would make me fall in love with you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"Just give me a chance!" She pleaded. "Let me show you that not everyone has given up on you yet."

"I… I'm sorry, for the way I've acted." He stood up. "But I'm not ready for what you're asking me to do."

"Then tell me. Tell me why."

"I can't. At least not yet."

Quistis sighed. "I'll give you all the time you need. Just know that I'll always be here."

"I'll remember that." He nodded, and left the room.

"Please do." She whispered to no one but herself, as she hung her head.

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A/N: This chapter was short. If you don't like it, bite me.


	5. chapter 5

_**The Mountains Win Again**_

Chapter 5

Seifer walked out of the large dorm, keeping his gaze low. That morning he was riddled with flashbacks of his trail.

_"The defendant, Seifer Almasy, is being tried for ten different charges. Charge one, assault on a Garden faculty member. Charge two, grand theft auto. Charge three, military offenses toward the nation of Esthar………"_

The last thing he needed now was to have eye contact with those who were scowling as they passed. His shin length light gray trench coat gracefully flowing behind him with a kind of imposing, respect commanding style.

He normally would've caught the eye of every female that passed, but due to the fact that he tried to destroy the world he wasn't getting any meaningful glances.

_"It just, hurt me so bad… When he tried to join me with Adel. I loved him, and he tried to kill me. He… We were going out, for awhile. But then one day out of nowhere he broke up with me. I felt so broken…"_

After a few minutes of walking, he decided to stop. Slowly sitting on the vacant bench, Seifer closed his eyes, and breathed deeply, letting the soothing resonation of the fountain on the central wall of the circular room help him to relax.

Ignoring the sound of footsteps passing him, Seifer began to get lost in his thoughts. Thoughts of what would happen to him after he left Garden. Cid only agreed to let him back in for a year, just long enough to achieve Seed status.

_"Seifer was… He always picked on me, called me names. I always thought that if he ever became a seed, hell would freeze over. But man… I never expected him to do what he did…"_

If he became a seed, he could stay as long as he wanted, but Seifer had made up his mind that wanting to become a seed was what got him into the whole mess anyway.

To be honest, the only reason Seifer wanted to be at Garden was so that he could be sure he would have somewhere to sleep. He couldn't get a job in Galbadia, and God forbid in Esthar. The only chance he had was in Dollet, and Seifer always hated that place anyway.

So for the time being, he simply had no idea where the hell he would end up.

Having a good rest, Seifer stood up, walking in a quicker pace toward the training center. He was eager to kill something, and soon.

_"Seifer was always an angry person. Not angry at anyone in particular, but angry at the world. Overall… He was a good student when he wanted to be…"_

Oftentimes, the training center was his best friend. Particularly in the times of heavy opposition to his unusual manner of interpreting the world around him. The fact that he could vent his anger through killing things was the only reason he kept from destroying all those around him. When in doubt, kill something: that was Seifer's lifestyle.

Walking into the brushy enclosure, Hyperion at his side. Long strides took him into the middle of the structure. It was silent, almost deafeningly so, if that's possible.

_"I remember, he would go into the training center and just kill everything. It was a scary site, even for someone like me, who was raised to kill mercilessly by the blade. Those who witnessed it said at least he wasn't taking it out on his fellow students, but as his sparring partner, I can tell you just how scary he was when he got mad…"_

Seifer narrowed his eyes, concentrating on anything his ears could pick up. At the last second, the tall blonde jumped forward, then twisted around, and brought his gunblade downward, splitting down the middle the grat attempting to pounce on him from above.

Seifer landed on his back, sliding a few feet due to the force of his jump. He slowly pulled himself up, dusting off his coat.

"Nice move" He heard a female voice say from behind him. Quickly turning to meet it, he found Rinoa.

"What do you want?" He said with a scowl.

"Oh? Since when is Seifer Almasy a rude man." Rinoa said with confidence.

"Since when does miss Heartilly socialize with the one whose life she ruined?" Seifer retorted.

Rinoa seemed caught off guard by this witty, yet simple response, though she was ready and waiting with some ammo of her own.

"And since when does Seifer Almasy blame his problems on everyone else?" Rinoa cocked an eyebrow.

"That's a complete load, and you know it. You broke my heart, and then played up your stupid act of the innocent little girl when I was being tried for my crimes." Sheathing his gunblade, Seifer took a step closer to the raven-haired girl, whose eyes were now wide in surprise. "And then you have the nerve to interrupt my training. Just tell me Heartilly, who the hell do you think you are?"

"I…" Rinoa's eyes welled up with tears. "If you would take one second to not think about yourself, you'd realize I was trying to apologize!" She burst into tears. "I want to be a part of your life again! I know that I hurt you, but you don't understand, I got hurt worse!"

"You're still so d- full of yourself, you don't realize how much I went through." Seifer scowled in return. "I was abandoned by the woman I loved, then manipulated, and tortured by a power hungry sorceress, then I had to sit and listen to the bogus testimony of the people around me. And on top of that, for the last four months, I've had to stand around and let people in the garden spit on me because I can't get a job anywhere else." Seifer replied, all without raising his voice.

"You're… So vain!" Rinoa yelled.

"Listen woman, I want to make this very, very clear." Seifer leaned in closer, to look her in the eyes. "I want nothing to do with you. I never want to see you again. I'm done with you. And when this conversation ends, I want you to turn around, leave, and go do whatever it is you do with Squall, because to be honest, I don't care about anything concerning you. Now if you'll excuse me," He pushed past her. "I have better things to do than sit here and listen to a whiny brat complain." He added as he walked into the next section of the training center.


	6. chapter 6

_**The Mountains Win Again**_

A/N: Well, I'm back, recovered from the throat surgery, and feeling better than ever! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, because things are about to get a little more serious between our two main characters.

Chapter five

Seifer stomped off into the next section of the training center, leaving a fuming mad Rinoa in his wake. Convinced there was nothing more she could do for the moment, she reluctantly left the training center.

Meanwhile, back at Quistis' dorm, she too was in a heated discussion, only this time with Zell.

"But Quis… He could still be dangerous!" Zell raised his voice slightly.

"It's been seven years Zell, and we've already had this conversation."

"Yeah, but it's different now, I didn't think you were gonna be livin' with the guy!" Zell just wouldn't give up.

"Just leave it alone Zell, there's nothing you can do." Quistis demanded. "It's my business, and I would appreciate it if you, and whoever the hell else has any objections, to shove off!" Quistis firmly shoved Zell out of her dorm, slamming the door in his face.

Zell let out a heavy sigh, hanging his head and starting to walk back toward his own dorm, Just as Seifer came walking past him. In an instant, Zell forgot everything telling him just to let it go. In a fit of rage, he turned around quickly, grabbing Seifer by the collar of his trench coat and pulling him to the floor. Seifer was left on his back, not aware of what was going on. Zell cocked back with his right fist, delivering a powerful blow to the taller man's face.

Seifer lost his temper, and managed to bring his knees between himself, and Zell. With all the power he could muster, he kicked Zell in the torso, sending him a few meters across the hall.

Seifer pulled stood up quickly, preparing to defend himself, just as Zell jumped back up, barely fazed by the kick. The martial artist ran towards the taller blonde, pulling back his left fist, and landing a hit in Seifer's stomach. Then, using his right fist, Zell landed another hard blow in his combatants face. Seifer stumbled backwards a few feet, but recovered quick enough to do a sidestep dodge, avoiding Zell's third blow. Due to the force with which Zell was moving forward, he tripped when his blow did not land, and hit the ground face first.

It was at this point that Quistis opened her door, coming to see what the commotion was about. The flaxen haired beauty observed the situation, realizing Zell had attacked Seifer on his way back to the dorm.

"Stop it, both of you!" Quistis yelled, as she jumped between the two males. Several garden faculty members came running up, pushing Quistis out of the way, and grabbing Seifer, automatically assuming he had started the conflict. At first, Seifer struggled, as the faculty drug him away, but then he decided it was no use.

"Quistis… Help me!" Seifer yelled, as Zell stood.

"What did you do?" Quistis yelled at the short blonde, as she shoved him back to the floor.

"Quistis… Please forgive me." Zell pleaded.

"Answer my question!" She demanded.

"I attacked him." Zell admitted.

"And they think he attacked you!" Quistis pointed out the obvious. "I swear to God Zell if you don't tell them the truth, I'll kill you right here and now!"

"Quistis, you don't mean that."

Quistis pulled out save the queen, cracking it right next to Zell's head. Zell nearly jumped out of his skin, quickly pulling himself to his feet and running toward Cid's office.

Moments later…

"Here he is, headmaster." The faculty shoved Seifer into Cid's office.

"I'm very disappointed in you." Cid shook his head.

"It wasn't me." Seifer stated calmly.

"Oh?" Cid seemed surprised. "And what reason do I have to believe you?"

"I'm…"

"Don't even speak to me, Almasy." Cid interrupted. "I gave you another chance, and you blew it. Get out of my garden."

"But-"

"NOW!" Cid yelled, as the faculty members violently grabbed Seifer and drug him off toward the front gate.

Before the faculty members stepped onto the lift, Zell came up, halting their advance.

"Wait!" Zell stopped them. "Headmaster Cid, it wasn't Seifer who started it. It was me." Zell confessed.

"And why?" Cid stood up from his spot.

"I had just been in a heated discussion with Quistis, about their living together, and she threw me out of her dorm. In a fit of rage, I attacked Seifer."

"So it was completely unprovoked?" Cid inquired.

"Yes." Zell nodded.

"Very well then." Cid motioned for the faculty to let go of Seifer. "Seifer Almasy, I apologize"

"Yeah." Seifer shrugged off the large men holding onto him. "Whatever." He grumbled, as he stepped onto the lift, leaving Cid's office.

"I hope you know, Dincht, you will be fully punished for your actions." Cid warned.

"I will gladly accept my punishment." Zell replied.

Later…

Seifer walked into Quistis' dorm, rubbing his broken nose. Quistis jumped from her seat and enveloped him in a tight hug, which he hesitantly returned.

"Are you alright?" She examined his battered face.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He obviously didn't like people worrying about him.

"So Zell told the truth?" Quistis led Seifer into the kitchen, where they both pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Yeah… And I'm guessing you had something to do with it." For the first time since he came in, Seifer stopped rubbing his nose.

"Of course. I couldn't let him get you kicked out." Quistis smiled. "Now let me clean up your wounds."

Seifer simply nodded in response, as Quistis got up and headed toward the bathroom, coming out a minute later with a first aid kit.

"Looks like…" She pulled out a bandage, some disinfectant cloths, and some tape. "Your nose is broken."

Quistis unfolded one of the cloths, wiping the blood from Seifer's face.

"So it looks like Zell caught you pretty good. Does it hurt?" She asked him.

"Not that much anymore" Seifer replied.

"Haha, don't worry, you don't have to act tough around me." She laughed.

"No seriously-"

"You're not fooling anyone Seif."

"Whatever."

"Now you're starting to sound more like Squall." Quistis teased.

"Oh please God no…" Seifer muttered, playing along.

"Come on, it's not really all that bad." She replied, playfully hitting him on the shoulder. "Looks like we're finally starting to get along."

"I guess so." Seifer said, as Quistis finished up cleaning the blood from his face, and gently placed a bandage over his nose.

"Well, I'm all done." Quistis stood up. "Just take it easy for awhile, don't go in the training center, and it should be healed soon."

"Thank you." He mumbled in response.

"Huh?"

"I said thank you." He spoke a little louder.

"That's the first nice thing I've ever heard you say."

………………..………………..………………..………………..

A/N: I'm really not satisfied with this chapter, since the dialogue is complete crap, bu RR people!


	7. chapter 7

_**The Mountains Win Again.**_

A/N: A few scenes in this chapter actually came from a commercial… But I guess that just shows how creative I am!

Chapter seven

It was early, just around the break of day, the morning dew still glistening on the grass outside. Seifer awoke, as the beads of rain slowly ran down the window, as a result of last night's storm. This season there were usually many storms in Balamb, but this year had been mostly dry. Seifer had slept on the couch that night, while Quistis kept her bed. She needed the rest, as she was the only one with an actual job at the moment.

Seifer brushed a few loose strands of hair out of his face, seeing as he hated them there, which was the main reason why he gelled it back most of the time.

Quistis was still in the bathroom, getting ready for work. She got up much earlier than most inhabitants of Garden, seeing as she usually took a long time to get dressed. Anyone could've guessed it, because of the fact that she was a perfectionist in every other aspect of her life, so why not her appearance also?

Seifer slowly stood up, on wobbly legs, though he quickly gained his composure and gathered his balance.

Surprisingly, the bathroom door was open. Quistis was inside, shaving her legs. She was in a bit of a dangerous position, as she had one leg propped up on the sink.

Suddenly, she lost her balance, slipping and tumbling toward the hard tile floor. She felt a strong arm wrap around her, as her head was about an inch from hitting the floor. Letting out a sigh of relief, she looked up at the one who caught her.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"Uh… Yeah." Seifer replied absently as he pulled her up. "I guess I better go…"

"And where would you possibly need to be?" She replied, sarcasm apparent in her voice.

"No… I meant I need to get out of the bathroom so you can get ready for work."

"Oh."

"But I guess I meant it both ways, because there is somewhere I need to be." Seifer continued. "Specifically, the cafeteria, and after that, I need to go get a few things from my old dorm."

"Oh, alright. Just make sure not to get into any more fights." Quistis laughed, as Seifer made his way toward the door.

The door shut behind the tall blonde, and Quistis went back to what she was doing.

Meanwhile…

Rinoa was sitting in class, not particularly paying attention to the teacher. Her mind was on Seifer. How could he be so selfish? He just pushed her off like she was nothing. Truth be told, he was the one that should be sorry, because he was the one who tried to turn her over to Adel! Although, she knew her mind shouldn't be on Seifer. It should be on Squall. He was nice to her. He bought her things, and he told her that he loved her. He treated her better than Seifer ever did. Well, at least recently. Squall had done more for her in the last three years than Seifer had through the whole relationship. Even though her and Seifer's relationship only lasted a year… But still, that was no excuse, at least in her mind.

But still, for some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about him. As Rinoa looked over to the window, she clearly saw Seifer leaving the cafeteria. Now was her chance, if she could just catch up to him.

"Um… Instructor, may I be excused?" Rinoa asked.

"I don't see why you would need to leave, but okay, I think you can afford to miss this class, since you're so far ahead.

"Thank you." Rinoa replied, already on her way out.

As Seifer stepped into his dorm, he heard footsteps behind him. Quickly spinning around, he saw someone he had hoped to never see again.

"What are you doing here?" Seifer interrogated.

"What do you think?" Rinoa answered his question with a question of her own.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone." Seifer walked over to his dresser, grabbing a few things, and stuffing them in his pockets.

"Seifer… I can't stop thinking about you." She took a step closer, and he took a step back.

"I don't care." He replied.

"Why can't you accept that I still love you?" Rinoa pleaded.

"Because that all ended the day you decided to hate me." He snarled.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" She yelled back.

"You knew good and well that I didn't commit any of those crimes intentionally, but did you say that in court, NO!"

"Please, just forgive me."

"I can't." Seifer responded, as he pushed past her again, and left the dorm.

A few minutes later, Rinoa decided to leave also, heading back to her class. Little did she know that Squall was watching from a distance, and seeing them both leave a currently vacant dorm was obviously going to raise suspicions…

Later…

Seifer walked the empty halls of the student dormitory, not paying attention to where he was going. From behind, He felt something jerk him around violently, and before he knew it, he was up against the wall, with the commander staring him in the face.

"Look, I don't who the hell you think you are, Almasy, but I don't like you being around my woman." Squall growled.

"You don't understand…" Seifer tried to explain.

"I don't need to understand, to know what's going on. I saw you and Rinoa leave that dorm together, and believe me, I know what you were doing." The obviously angry commander continued. "Trust me, you're getting lucky this time. If I wanted to hurt you, I already would have." Squall released his rival, but not before delivering a right hook to the blonde's jaw. The commander turned and walked away, as Seifer rubbed his bruised jaw.

Seifer let out a low growl, and continued his walk back toward Quistis' dorm, even though he knew she wasn't there.

It took a minute for Seifer to even figure out why Squall did what he did, but then he remembered the talk he just had with Rinoa… Squall must've seen them both leaving his dorm.

As Seifer arrived at his destination, he slowly opened the door, stepping in and proceeding to the bathroom. After placing important things like his toothbrush, and a few other articles, he decided now would be a good time to go back to sleep. He was off for a week, so he intended to take full advantage of it.

……

………

…………

A few hours later, Seifer awoke again, rejuvenated from his nap. Quistis was back again, due to the sounds coming from the kitchen, she was most likely cooking. He stood up, and headed into the kitchen to see what was going on.

"So I see you're back." Seifer greeted in his usual quiet tone.

"Uh-huh." Quistis replied, not looking away from the stove.

"So what are you cooking?" He inquired, moving closer.

"Oh. It's just some leftover stir fry from the lunch I had at the cafeteria." She said with a smile.

"Oh." He turned and headed back toward the living room.

"Do you want some?" Quistis asked.

"No, that's okay, I'm not hungry. But as soon as you're done eating I need to talk to you."

"Alright." She replied.

Within around twenty minutes, Quistis was finished eating, and headed into the living room. She thought she knew what Seifer needed to talk to her about, and hopefully she was right.

Walking into the small main room, she spotted the tall blonde leaning against the wall, looking out the window.

"You needed to talk to me?" Her soothing voice broke the silence.

"Yes... I thought about what you said, and I've made up my mind."

"Oh? And what made you do this?"

"Well, to be honest, I just realized I already had." Seifer replied, standing to his feet and walking over to Quistis.

"What did you decide?"

Seifer replied by brushing her hair out her face, and planting a gentle kiss on her lips. After a few seconds, he pulled back, and looked the other blonde in the eyes.

"Does that answer your question?"

Seifer didn't even wait for a response, as he moved in for another kiss, this time letting his tongue slip past her lips. Quistis got weak in the knees, and Seifer had to hold her up. Soon after, Quistis pulled back again, looking into his emerald eyes.

"Wow, when you make up your mind about something…" She smiled.


	8. chapter 8

_**The Mountains Win Again.**_

A/N: Hey peeps! I decided to update quick this time so QueenAdreena doesn't die… Anyway, thanks to QueenAdreena, and Heijin, and Phoenix, and jasmine, and Druggo and everyone else who's given me the reviews that keep me going. I honestly don't know what I would do without you guys. Just a side note, this chapter will have a little bit of humor in it.

"" Are words

'' Are thoughts.

Chapter eight

Seifer cleared his throat, straightening his bow tie. It took him just over an hour to get dressed properly, and it had taken him several days to get the reservations he needed. He had planned to take Quistis to the new five-star restaurant that had just opened in Balamb. It was pretty expensive, but he felt Quistis deserved it after all that she had done for him.

It had been about a week since they had actually decided to consider themselves a couple, and things were moving extremely fast. Partly from the fact they already knew each other so well.

She should be arriving any minute. She was told she would have to work late, and so a nice surprise from Seifer would probably lift the stress. Seifer heard the door open, and he knew that was his cue. Quickly stepping out of the bathroom, he saw Quistis walking into the kitchen. He silently walked into the kitchen, sneaking up on her, as she stood in front of the sink. He greeted her by wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her on the neck playfully. She was startled at first, but then smiled and started to squirm.

"Stop! That tickles!" Seifer stopped, and Quistis turned around, still in his arms. Quistis returned the show of affection, greeting him with a deep kiss. After a few seconds, she pulled back; looking at what Seifer was wearing.

"So… Why are you all dressed up?" She inquired.

"Well, I knew you had to work late, and I figured you'd be pretty stressed…" Seifer started, "So I decided to take you to that new place in Balamb."

Quistis' eyes lit up, and she smiled wildly. "I love you." She said, resting her head on his chest.

"Haha, I know." Seifer replied with a smirk. "Now go get dressed, we don't want to get there too late.

"Okay." Quistis squealed as she ran off into the bathroom.

Seifer took a seat by the table. Closing his eyes, he smiled to himself. 'Your doing well Almasy, don't screw this up.' He thought to himself.

About fifteen minutes later, Quistis came out, clothed in a long satin blue dress, her hair up in a bun, and expensive looking earrings.

Seifer was glad he was sitting down when he saw her for the first time, as he nearly passed out.

"Well, how do I look?" Quistis asked.

"I… I…" Seifer was speechless.

"That bad?" Quistis frowned.

Seifer found his voice again, and jumped up from his seat, taking a few steps closer to her. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." He commented.

"You're so sweet." She replied, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Well, let's get going." Seifer said as Quistis released him from her embrace, and the two walked hand in hand out of the dorm.

As they walked into the parking lot, Quistis gasped again, seeing the limousine pulling in.

"Is that for us?" She asked.

"Of course." Seifer grinned.

He opened the door for her, and she carefully got in, making sure not to mess up her dress. Seifer walked around and got in the other side. "Driver, we're ready." Seifer said to the man in the driver seat.

"Yeah, whatever." The man replied in an annoyed tone.

"What's wrong with you?" Seifer raised an eyebrow as the limousine started to move.

"A more suited question would be "What's not wrong with me."" The driver replied. "But, to answer your question… My wife left me, I'm barely getting paid, I have to sit and watch you two fondle each other through the entire trip, and I can't afford to buy anymore pot."

"You smoke pot?" Quistis' asked.

"For medicinal purposes." The driver replied.

"What purposes?" Seifer asked, genuinely curious.

"I hate my life." The driver said. At this Seifer and Quistis shook their heads.

'Wait… I know that voice.' Seifer thought. He examined the driver's voice, only to find that it was Biggs… As in MAJOR BIGGS… Of the Galbadian army…

"Biggs?" Seifer yelled.

"Almasy?"

"HOLY SH-" Seifer didn't get to finish his sentence before Biggs slammed on the breaks. Biggs and Quistis were both wearing seat belts, but Seifer wasn't. Seifer was jerked forward violently, and hit his head on the thing that separated the front of the limo from the back. Luckily, he wasn't seriously hurt.

"OW!" Seifer yelled. "That REALLY hurt!"

"Get out of my limo!" Biggs yelled.

Within about thirty seconds, the limo was zooming off, with Seifer and Quistis standing on the sidewalk in the pouring rain.

"This sucks." Seifer stated bluntly.

Fortunately they were already in Balamb, and within looking range of the restaurant.

"Come on, we have to get out of the rain!" Quistis yelled. The couple rushed into the restaurant, and shook off the rain.

"Well, glad that's over." Seifer commented.

A/N: I know this chapter was short, but the next two will leave you grinning for days.


	9. chapter 9

The Mountains Win Again 

A/N: Sorry for the wait, but I haven't been really busy lately. Anyway, here's the next chapter. When I said the next two chapters would leave you smiling I wasn't really talking about the humor… What I'm talking about will probably end up happening in chapter ten.

Chapter nine

Seifer and Quistis walked into the restaurant, shaking off the cold.

"Well… That was insane." Seifer commented.

Quistis replied with a light laugh. "Let's just try to enjoy the rest of the evening."

The couple proceeded into the main section of the restaurant, toward the front counter. An arrogant looking man with a strange accent was at the cash register.

"Um… Hello." Seifer tried to get the attention of the obviously non-interested man.

"Yes sir?" He replied.

"I have reservations under the name Almasy." Seifer informed.

"Okay sir, just let me check the computer…" The man's fingers moved over the keys of the computer, as the monitor projected a dim blue hue upon his face. After a few minutes, Seifer and Quistis were beginning to become impatient, as the man raised his gaze. "I'm sorry sir, we have no reservations under that name."

Seifer narrowed his eyes, obviously angry. "Look you arrogant Frenchman-"

"What's a Frenchman?" Quistis interrupted.

Seifer ignored Quistis' question and continued arguing with the man. "I booked reservations a week in advance! I paid my entire month's salary just to get you people to _think_ about giving me reservations! So God help you if that dcomputer screws up, because it's going to be _your_ head on a stick!" Seifer screamed in the man's face.

The man showed no emotion whatsoever, as he replied. "Right this way sir." He led them to a vacant table, where two menus were already set. The man turned around and left, going back to his original post.

Quistis was baffled at how something like this would happen. "Seifer… Explain something to me. We came in, and they had lost our reservations. So a five-minute screaming session somehow convinced them to let us in… How did that happen?"

Seifer shrugged and picked up his menu.

Quistis did the same as the waiter approached the table.

"What will you be having to drink?" He inquired in all too familiar voice.

Seifer ignored the fact that he'd heard the voice before and ordered his drink. "What kind of wine do you carry?"

"Well, we have several nice brands of merlot, and…" The waiter began.

"How about a nice expensive merlot?" Seifer turned to Quistis, who nodded enthusiastically. "Alright, merlot it is then."

The waiter wrote down the order and left, as Seifer continued to ponder where he had heard that voice before.

"Seifer, you spoil me way too much." Quistis smiled.

"I could never give you too much Quistis. You've done so much for me it would be impossible to ever repay the debt, but this is just my small way of saying thank you." Seifer said as he took Quistis by the hand.

"Oh, stop it." Quistis replied.

Seifer slowly let go of Quistis hand and picked up his menu again. "So do you have any idea what you want yet?"

"I was thinking about just getting a nice cheap salad." Quistis said as the looked at the large menu she had been given.

"Don't hold back. Get whatever you want." Seifer encouraged.

"But I would feel bad spending all of your money." Quistis argued.

"Quis… Don't worry about it, I convinced Cid to loan me his credit card."

"Oh." Quistis said with amazement. "Well in that case, I was thinking of getting this nice grilled chicken salad, with a side of that soup that they say is so good here…"

"Get whatever you want. I've decided on the 23oz rib eye…" Seifer said.

"23oz?" Quistis somehow looked surprised. "You eat that much?"

"Well… Don't forget, I'm 6' 2", 208 pounds. I'm not a small person."

"But still…" Quistis laughed.

"I like beef okay? Is it a crime to enjoy a nice rare steak?" Seifer seemed slightly irritated, but at the same time having fun.

By this time, the waiter had come back, holding a large bottle of red wine. "Your wine sir." He stated as he set it on the table, along with two small wineglasses.

"Thank you." Seifer said as the waiter left. Seifer pulled off the top and poured a small amount in each glass, taking one himself and handing the other to Quistis.

"So, how was your day?" Seifer asked.

"Well, up until I got back to my dorm, it wasn't too good…" Quistis frowned. "I got into an argument with Selphie today."

"About what?" Seifer raised an eyebrow.

"About us. Me and you."

"I thought she didn't know?"

"I told her." Quistis admitted.

"Why?" Seifer asked.

"Well, Selphie and I are still good friends, and I was talking to her about how great things have been… And that's when she started freaking out. She started going on and on about how you were no good for me, and how you were still dangerous."

"Oh… Well, I hope she doesn't convince you of any of that." Seifer commented.

"She won't." Quistis smiled.

…

…

The rest of the night went by normally, with the couple eating, and talking about the various things that had happened throughout the day. It was beginning to get late, and they decided to leave.

Seifer and Quistis got up from their spots, after grabbing the mostly full bottle of wine.

As the two approached the front desk, Quistis observed that it was still raining. Seifer paid the bill, which was ridiculously high, and they proceeded outside.

……………………………….

A/N: Sorry if this chapter was sloppy or short; I was kind of rushed in writing it…


	10. chapter 10

_**The Mountains Win Again**_

A/N: So sorry for the wait, but I was sort of reluctant in writing this. Hopefully you'll all like the end of this chapter. You've all been good tome so far, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I'm extremely pleased with the amount of reviews I've received on this fic. This chapter may be a bit darker, simply because I felt like introducing an ominous mood.

I've noticed how much people like my songfics, so I'll try to churn out more of them…

On another note, after this point the story will probably be taking a whole 'nother turn, focusing less on Rinoa and Squall, and going more into the Selphie/Zell aspect of things.

* * *

Chapter ten

Seifer and Quistis stepped out of the restaurant, shielded from nature's onslaught by the small outcropping just above the door of the building. They had no way back to Garden, but it didn't really matter. At this point, all they needed was each other.

Whether it was true love, or intense admiration, there were definitely some strong positive feelings between the two, only fed by their seemingly endless struggle against the world around them. Such things can sometimes bring down two people who love each other, but oftentimes it can strengthen their bond.

Seifer looked up at the ominous grey clouds filling the sky, raining down on the city. "We need a way home." Seifer stated the obvious, not shifting his gaze from the clouds seeming to demand his attention.

"Hey, there's a cab over there." Quistis pointed to the yellow taxi pulling up. The vehicle slowed to a stop, as the driver lowered his window.

"You folks need a ride?" He inquired, his voice raspy, as the cigarette resting between his chapped lips moved with the motions of his mouth. His face was cheerless, as if he had suffered a great loss long ago, yet was still feeling the pain ever so deeply as the day it happened.

"Yes." Seifer stated hesitantly, opening the door for Quistis. He kept a close eye on the driver, who he didn't particularly trust. Quistis got in the cab, apparently not sharing Seifer's feelings. Seifer walked around the other side, pulling the rusted door handle and entering the smoky cab. It wasn't really dirty, or unclean, just old. And it carried with it a cloud of gloom. Seifer seated and closed the door, looking over at the driver.

"Where to?" He inquired.

"Garden." Seifer replied. "Balamb Garden."

The old cab started on its way, pushing through the sheet of rain bearing down upon the land. It always rained a lot in Balamb, so as to counteract with the naturally high temperature.

Seifer let out a sigh as he leaned back, looking over the blonde beauty sitting next to him. _God_… She was so beautiful. Everything about her just took his breath away. Quistis scooted over closer to Seifer, resting her head on his broad chest and closing her eyes. She was tired after her long day at the Garden, now all she wanted was to go back to her dorm and enjoy the rest of the evening with Seifer.

Seifer enveloped her in a loving embrace, giving her a sense of security. Within minutes, she was asleep. A lengthy amount of time passed, and the cab somehow didn't seem to be getting any closer to Garden.

The driver looked over at his mirror, seeing the couple cuddling together. With a kind smile, he commented. "She seems like a good one bud. Don't ever let her go."

"Pardon me?" Seifer replied.

"I said she's a good one, don't ever let her go." The man replied with a smile.

"Thanks for the advice." Seifer nodded. "So did you let yours go?"

"Unfortunately." The driver replied, his smile fading, and being replaced with a frown. "I was young and stupid. I made a mistake, and I had to pay for it." The driver's sad voice filled the air. "Take heed of my words, and hopefully it won't happen to you, too."

"I sure will." Seifer smiled.

The cab came to a halt before the front gates of the garden. "Well, I'm afraid this is your stop my friend." The driver informed.

"How much do I owe you?" Seifer inquired, pulling out his wallet.

"Oh, don't even worry about it." He replied.

"But I wouldn't feel comfortable not paying you." Seifer responded.

"NO, just don't worry about it." The driver dismissed Seifer with a wave of his hand.

"Just take it." Seifer ordered, reaching forward and stuffing a a few twenties into the driver's coat pocket.

The tall blonde didn't wait for an objection, as he quickly opened his door and stepped out, then walked around the other side and opened Quistis' door. Being careful not to wake her, he gently picked her up, supporting her back with his left hand, and catching her behind the knees with his right. Slowly closing the door, Seifer bid farewell to the driver, as the yellow cab pulled away. Seifer slowly proceeded into the garden, through the halls, and before he knew it, he was before the door of their dorm. He continued in, and laid Quistis down on her bed, kneeling at the side of the bed, and stopping ot her admire her. She was so graceful when asleep.

Seifer shook his head and stood up, walking into the bathroom. He loosened his bow tie, eager to get into something more comfortable to sleep. As he removed his suit jacket, he felt the presence of Quistis behind him. "I thought you were asleep." He said, turning around.

"I was." Quistis replied as she walked up closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his.

Seifer's hands came to rest on her hips, as he pulled her closer to him. Soon after he slowly pulled back. "Did you have a good time tonight?" He inquired.

"Better than I could've imagined." She replied.

Seifer seemed uneasy about something, and she could feel it. She quickly made note of this and made it a priority to ask him about it. "Something's troubling you." She stated.

"… Yes." He replied. "I… I know that I love you, but I'm afraid to get serious.

"Why?" She asked caringly.

"I'm… Afraid to lose you. I know that once I hold you in my arms, I'll never be able to let you go. So I want you to promise me something."

"Anything." Quistis stated.

"Promise me that if you don't really love me, you'll let me know."

"Seifer, I love you more than anything. Do you need me to prove it to you?"

"No, I just…" Seifer lowered his gaze.

"I'll show you how much I love you." Quistis told him, taking his hand and leading him into the main room…

* * *

A/N: Oooh, cliffhangar. I'm not really satisfied with the ending of this chapter, but it's three in the morning and I ned to sleep... I'll edit it later or something. 


	11. Chapter 11

The Mountains Win Again 

A/N: Well, hey everybody! I was going to hold out until at least fifty reviews, but I figured screw it. I'm hoping for this fic to finish at about 25 chapters or so. But don't worry; I've already got a sequel planned. And depending on how many reviews I get, it may or may not happen.

Well, to all my loyal fans, I have an announcement. The lonely insomniac known as Almasy11 is no longer lonely! That's right, I'm in love. At least I think so.

Once you read the beginning of this chapter, then whatever was left unexplained in the last one will quickly become clear to you…

Chapter eleven

Seifer awoke with a start, as the events of the night before flooded his mind. He realized he wasn't on the couch, but next to Quistis… _In her bed_. His blue/green eyes quickly scanned the room, as the cold air nipped at his bare chest, most likely a result of the window being left open. The sun's rays shone through the window, casting a n orange glow throughout the room.

Sitting up, Seifer rubbed his eyes and looked over at the clock. It was still early. The tall blonde lay back again, looking over at Quistis, who was sleeping peacefully.

A strong arm snaked it's way around Quistis' waist from behind, as Seifer gently kissed her on the cheek. "I love you." He said softly, making sure not to wake her.

He closed his eyes as he nuzzled against her neck. Just as he began to drift off again, Quistis began to stir. Slowly turning around while still in his arms, she greeted him with a loving smile, and a kiss. "Hey there."

"Hey yourself." He replied.

Quistis buried her face in his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "So now are you convinced that I love you?"

Seifer replied with his signature smirk. "Maybe you should prove it to me again, I seem to have forgotten."

"Maybe later." Quistis replied with a teasing grin.

Seifer frowned. "Well it was worth a try."

Quistis giggled, and snuggled closer as they both shut their eyes and quickly were whisked away to another realm.

In the cafeteria, Zell and Selphie were in their usual spots, across from each other at the upper left corner table of the cafeteria. Selphie was reading the paper as usual, and Zell was busy eating his cereal.

Just as Selphie was getting into an interesting article concerning the growing obesity percentage in the population of Galbadia, she was yanked from her trance-like state by Zell's ever-so-annoying voice.

The short blonde had a look on his face as if he had just seen a ghost. "Selph! There's a message in my alphabets! It says "Ooooooooooooooooooo"" Zell was as serious as ever.

Selphie leaned forward slightly, in order to examine Zell's bowl. None to her surprise, there was an easy explanation as to the otherwise unusual occurrence. "Zell, those are cheerios." The tiny seed returned to her paper, as Zell sat in shock.

"Oh." Was Zell's only reply.

That was when Quistis walked into the cafeteria, and was immediately spotted by Zell. Only there was one problem, she was with Seifer. The two strode over to the table, hand in hand, and each took a seat.

Zell didn't look happy, and Selphie's only response was a cocked eyebrow. Normally she would be bouncing off the walls, but she had really matured in the seven years since the Ultimecia incident, and was now able to contain her excitement. Unfortunately, Zell hadn't changed at all.

"What the hell is that traitor doing here?" Zell's voice echoed through the now silent cafeteria. Before he knew what was happening, he had been cracked over the head by Selphie's nunchaku. Slumping forward, his face dipped into the milk still left in his bowl.

"That'll teach him to interrupt my reading." Selphie muttered

Seifer quickly seized Zell, grabbing him by the hair and yanking his face out of the milk. Zell quickly regained consciousness, and was quite curious as to why his face was covered in milk, he had a headache, and Seifer had him by the hair.

"I'm going to politely ask what's going on, before I go ballistic." Zell informed, quite out of character.

"Seif here just saved your life." Selphie commented.

Zell grabbed a napkin and wiped the milk from his face, as Seifer leaned back in his chair, frowning.

"Uh… There's kinda something I would like to say to Seifer…" Zell started, hesitating. "Um… Th-thank… You." Zell managed to speak the words he could have never in a million years, thought he would have spoken to Seifer.

"You're welcome." Seifer replied, his frown not fading.

"Now Zell, don't you feel like a total piece of crap for nearly getting Seifer kicked out of Garden?" Quistis asked, the agitation apparent in her voice.

"Y-yeah…" Zell replied, lowering his gaze. "So why did you decide to sit here?"

Seifer rolled his eyes. "Do we need a reason?"

"Well, it's certainly unexpected." Selphie interjected, not looking over from her paper.

"What, you don't want us sitting here?" Quistis inquired, narrowing her eyes.

"No no, it's not that." Selphie dismissed, now becoming more interested in her newspaper.

"Messenger girl, I'm not stupid." Seifer started. "It's obvious you haven't forgiven the things I did under the influence of Ultimecia, and I'm pretty sure you don't think I should be with Quistis." A disgruntled expression came over Seifer's face, as he got up from the table. "Come on Quistis, we don't need this." He said as he way his way for the door. Quistis mumbled a few apologies to Selphie and Zell for Seifer's behavior, and then took off after him.

Seifer stopped outside of the cafeteria, waiting up for Quistis. The other blonde came out shortly after, slightly angry.

She walked up to Seifer, looking him straight in the eyes. "What was that about?" She asked, obviously irritated.

Seifer sighed heavily, rolling his eyes and doing a head motion that suggested his annoyance. "Your little messenger girl friend obviously doesn't trust me."

Quistis put her hands on her hips, also sighing. "You didn't even give them a chance!" she half whispered, half yelled.

"Look Quistis, I don't feel like being around people who consider me a menace to society right now, _alright?_" The tall blonde put an extra emphasis on the last word.

Quistis' expression softened. "You can't expect them to warm back up to you so quickly, Seifer."

Seifer leaned back heavily against the wall, looking up in frustration. "_God, _I need a drink." He said to no one in particular.

Quistis half smiled, as she tried o see things from Seifer's perspective. In a way, he was right.

"Look, how about for now we just go back to your dorm for awhile and rest. I didn't sleep much last night." Seifer suggested.

"Alright." She replied, deciding to give him some slack.

The two started down the long circular corridor, and minutes passed before the silence was broken again.

"So I heard a rumor somewhere that you and Rinoa were seen leaving your dorm together. What would that be all about?" Quistis inquired, slightly suspicious.

Seifer sighed and lowered his head. "I hoped I wouldn't have to tell you this."

"What?"

"Rinoa is still in love with me, although she has an awful funny way of showing it. What with all the lies, and the leaving me to die with my broken heart." Seifer said in response. "She keeps bothering me, trying to win me back."

Quistis released the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "That's a relief." She commented. As much suspicion as there should have been, for some reason she trusted him.

"So you believe me?" Seifer inquired, surprised.

Quistis cocked an eyebrow, as the two came up on the door of her dorm "Of course. What reason would I have not to believe you?"

"Uum… Just forget I said that." Seifer replied as he opened the door and stepped in.

A/N: I tried to make this chapter little longer… But as you know, I prefer to write shorter stuff so that it's more convenient for the reader. Anyway, don't forget to review.


	12. chapter 12

The Mountains Win Again 

A/N: Alright people. I'm frickin' updating, you happy now? Please refrain from swearing in your reviews from now on, is that clear? Getting screamed and swore at doesn't make me update any faster.

Chapter twelve

Seifer and Quistis stepped into her large dorm, each sitting on the bed. For a while, they just sat there, watching the sun set. After awhile, the phone began ringing like crazy, Seifer remained seated as Quistis answered the phone. "Hello?" Her shrill voice pierced the silence of the invisible airway. Suddenly, the line was filled with the sound of sobbing, with a few words mixed in. Quistis could barely understand whoever it was, but quickly recognized the voice to be Selphie's. All she could make out was something about Zell, a truck, and the Balamb docks.

Quistis slammed the phone back onto the receiver, and turned around quickly, grabbing Seifer by the arm. He replied with a "Hey, what the f.." But she interrupted him before that last word could come out. "Selphie just called, she said something about Zell, a truck, and the Balamb docks!" She said as she drug him out of the room.

They grabbed a spare car in the garden parking lot, and rushed off toward Balamb. Within minutes, they had arrived.

Seifer stepped out of the car, to see what vaguely looke like Zell, on a stretcher. Quickly walking over to one of the paramedics, Seifer began to ask about the situation.

"What happened here?" He asked. The medic replied with a shake of his head. "It's a dmn shame, what happened to that kid."

Seifer grew sterner, asking again, as Quistis came up behind him. "I said, what happened?"

"The blonde kid was standing on the docks, when a truck full of teenagers who had been drinking came speeding into the area. They were going too fast to turn and park, and so they went over the edge. As the truck hit the water, it collided with one of the beams supporting the dock, and it collapsed. The kid standing on it was almost crushed in the wreckage. After a few minutes, we were able to dig him out. He wasn't breathing, and was in pretty bad shape." The medic informed.

"What are his chances of survival?" Quistis asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"Slim to none." The medic replied grimly. "His full list of injuries is enormous. Three broken ribs, a broken leg, two broken arms, a severe concussion, an impalement which barely missed the spine, and numerous scraped and deep cuts."

Quistis began to cry, and turned away, walking toward the car. Seifer followed, in an attempt to comfort her. Gently wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry. He'll make it. He's strong." He whispered comforting words in her ear, as she silently sobbed into his chest. On the other side of the port, Selphie was sitting silently on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest. She couldn't even bring herself to cry. She silently hoped that Zell would make it, but in her heart she already knew the truth.

As the medics loaded Zell into the ambulance, and it slowly drove onto the ferry, which would take them to Esthar, where Zell would get the proper medical attention.

Selphie stood up, and ran over to Seifer and Quistis. "I'm going to take a train to Esthar, ok?" She managed to stammer. Seifer nodded, as he comforted a still sobbing Quistis. "Quistis and I will stay here and hold down the fort. Someone needs to inform Garden of what happened."

Selphie acknowledged Seifer's response, and departed toward the train station.

Seifer pulled back from Quistis, and looked into her sapphire eyes. "Come on, it's starting to rain. We need to go."

The two left the port, and rented a car. The rain escalated into a heavy storm, as they made their way into Garden. Within not too long, they were in her dorm.

Quistis' sobbing had stopped, and had been replaced with only a few tears here and there.

"Seif, he's not going to make it." Quistis said grimly.

"Hey, don't say that. He'll live." Seifer got up, and walked toward Quistis, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead before proceeding toward the door. "I have to inform Cid of the situation. As for you, get some sleep." The tall blonde looked back at Quistis one more time before stepping out of the door, and heading toward Cid's office.


	13. Chapter 13

The Mountains Win Again 

A/N: Well, it's been awhile since I last updated. I was waiting for the reviews on the last chapter, but oh well. Sorry for the wait. Here's the thirteenth chapter. A warning though, things are about to go crazy.

_Chapter thirteen_

The doctors gently transferred Zell onto an operating table, immediately going to work on the ravaged body. Selphie stood in the corner, next to the opening that lead into the room, silently weeping as she saw what she was sure was to be Zell's final moments played out.

As the doctors, worked on cleaning Zell's stomach wound, he jerked awake, arching his back in agony and releasing a blood curdling scream, before one of the doctors injected him with a powerful chemical, which immediately knocked him out. Selphie's sobs intensified, as she turned away and cradled her head in her hands. One of the doctors finally noticed her, and quickly walked over, attempting to direct her out of the room.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm afraid you have to leave." The nurse requested.

"Please, just let me stay here. I won't get in your way." Selphie pleaded. The nurse didn't listen, and insisted that she leave. "You can't be here, we are in the middle of a delicate medical procedure."

"I'm not going anywhere." Selphie said sternly.

"I'm afraid this isn't an option ma'am, now if you'll-" The nurse placed her hands on Selphie's shoulders, and turned her toward the door, pushing her toward the exit.

"Get your hands off of me!" Selphie yelled, sending a powerful right hook toward the nurse's jaw, on pure instinct. The nurse crumbled to the floor, in an incapacitated heap. Several other doctors immediately jumped Selphie, dragging her toward the exit. Selphie thrashed and struggled, but in her current condition was unable to overcome them, and so stopped resisting.

Seifer walked through the dimly lit halls of Balamb Garden, inhabited by none other than himself, and the shadows. Seifer always thought there was something creepy about Balamb Garden at night, although the tall blonde couldn't say exactly what it was. As he came before the elevator, Seifer took a deep breath, and shook his head at the situation. Things didn't look good for ol' chicken wuss so far. Seifer was obviously never friendly with Zell, but he knew how close he was to Quistis.

Sure, they had their disagreements, and even a few fights, but overall they loved each other like siblings. The tall blonde couldn't imagine the affect it would have on Quistis if Zell were to die. Still, there was nothing he could do.

Zell's life was in the hands of God, and the doctors.

Stepping in the elevator, he pressed the third floor button, as the doors gently slid shut. The elevator began on it's journey, before halting violently a few moments later.

"What the hell?" Seifer muttered, pressing the third floor button again. When he pressed it a third time, the support cables snapped, sending the elevator careening downward into the lower levels of the garden.

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Selphie sat alone, in a small waiting room. The cold air, which filled the entire structure, made her shiver. Dried tears lay upon her face, her green eyes were bloodshot, and dark circles sat just under them.

Her skin was unusually pale, and her hair ragged. Her short yellow dress was still soaked from the rain. If Zell died, she didn't know what she would do. She never could work up the courage to tell him how she felt, and now it was too late. .

To tell the truth, she had always had even the smallest crush on him, ever since they first met. But ever since Irvine ended up leaving the picture, Selphie realized she was in love. She was _truly_ in love.

She was lucky the nurses didn't kick her out of the hospital for what she did. Fortunately, the nurses were compassionate, and understood her situation.

… … … … … … … … .. …

Zell awoke, to find himself floating in a black void of nothingness. Black, as far as the eye could see. He grew fearful, breathing heavily, and looking around him for any sign of another presence. There was none. None at all.

He yelled out, in pure fear, frustration, and anger. He couldn't tell where he was, or even if he was alive. The last images he remembered, were that of standing on the Balamb dock.

_Zell walked out onto the dock, folding his arms and letting out a sigh. He had a difficult day. Cid had threatened to fire him if he didn't start performing better on his routine missions. The entire problem however, was that he was distracted. He couldn't stop thinking about Selphie. He wasn't sure, but it felt like he was in love with her. He had never been in love before, so it was a hard feeling to discern. Before another thought could cross his mind, the voice of the very woman he had been thinking of pierced the silence._

"_Hey." Selphie said shyly, from her spot several meters away from the dock._

"_Hey Selph." Zell replied._

"_Listen, Zell… There's something I need to tell you." Selphie stated_

"_What is it?" Zell asked, raising an eyebrow. Before Selphie could tell him how she felt, a truck full of teenagers came careening from the street._

_"Zell, watch out!" Selphie yelled in horror. It was too late. The truck flew off of the platform, down toward the water, clipping the support beams for the dock. The structure collapsed, taking Zell with it._

Realizing what had happened, Zell let out another scream of frustration. He was dead. He knew it. Or at least he thought so.


	14. Chapter 14

**_The Mountains Win Again_**

A/N: Well, this is the next chapter. Me and my girl are back together again, so now I'm happy! dances around like an idiot Anyway, I'd like to dedicate this entire story to my girlfriend, Jocelyn Mader. Or you may know her better as swordofthejedi. Or you may not know her at all. Either way... Whoa... The floor is like... Moving...

Chapter fourteen

Seifer slowly opened his eyes, shaking the dizziness out of his head. He had no idea exactly how long he had been unconscious. Around him, there was nothing but darkness. The elevator had fallen, that was all he could remember. The small elevator was mangled beyond repair; the once shiny blue metal was twisted and broken.

He blinked his eyes, in an unsuccessful attempt to adjust his vision to the environment. A throbbing pain aggravated his right arm, starting in his elbow, and spreading out to his shoulder. He couldn't feel anything beyond his elbow.

Then it hit him. His arm was gone. He let out a faint fearful gasp, as his left hand crept it's way over to check. All he could feel was jagged metal lodged into his wrist. He felt further toward his elbow, to find his arm had been severed by yet another shard of jagged metal.

Fear overtook his mind. If his arm was gone, then he didn't have much time until he died of blood loss. He was already starting to get dizzy. His consciousness was already beginning to slip away. He slapped himself with his remaining hand, in a desperate attempt to stay awake. If he passed out again, he would be in serious trouble.

From above him, he heard a faint cry, then a yell. "Seifer! Are you down there?" A shrill voice asked. "Can you hear me?"

"Y-yes!" Seifer managed to stammer.

"Good. Listen, it's me, Quistis." She stated. "Listen, try to stay awake!" She yelled down to him, anxiously awaiting the rescue team.

"I… I can't." Seifer said faintly, yet Quistis still somehow heard him.

"Yes you can! The rescue team is on it's way, they're going to get you out of there! I just need you to stay awake."

"I'll… Try." He replied.

She began frantically thinking of a way to keep him awake. She couldn't reach him, so all she could do was talk to him. "Seif, how bad are your injuries?" She asked, making sure to yell loud, so as to help keep him awake.

"My… My arm's gone… And my head's throbbing." He replied painfully.

Quistis mentally cringed when she heard him say that his arm was gone.. She knew enough about anatomy to know that a major artery is located in the arm, and one could die if the arm was severed.

Not knowing what else to say, she said the first thing that came to her mind. "I love you, Seifer! Please, stay awake!" She yelled.

"I love you… Too." He replied, shaking his head and trying to stay awake at least a little longer.

* * *

The doctors continued to work on Zell. He was getting worse by the minute. It was hard to believe, but his stomach wasn't the worst of his injuries. The gash in his head was the biggest threat.

"We're losing him!" The lead doctor yelled.

Selphie could hear this entire ordeal going on from down the hall, and rushed in, standing in the doorway. The doctors were too busy with Zell to push her out at the moment. Zell's heartbeat was getting faster and faster with each passing moment, as he slipped more and more into the endless black oblivion of death.

Selphie cried out in despair, stepping back and leaning against the wall, slumping into a sitting position. He was dying. It was over. All hope was lost.

Finally, it happened. He flatlined. The doctors frantically pulled out the shocks, plugging them in and turning on the machine. This was a last ditch effort to save him. If they failed now, he was gone.

The lead doctor rubbed the shocks together, before calling out "Clear!" as he pressed them against Zell's bare chest. Due to the shock, Zell's muscles constricted, causing him to slightly sit up for a moment, before blankly falling back down again. The doctor rubbed the shocks together again, and attempted to revive Zell, to no avail.

He rubbed them together once again, and pressed them against Zell's chest one last time. Zell twitched, but his pupils were fixed. The doctors had failed.

The lead doctor sighed, his eyes showing the sad expression of at least a thousand or more cases just like this one. He set the shocks back down, flipping off the machine, and removing his mask. "Call it. Time of death, 11:00 PM."

"No." Selphie whispered in shock. "NO!" She practically screamed. She couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't see Zell in such a state. She turned and ran out and into the waiting room, sobbing uncontrollably as she went. The doctor followed her, intending to try and provide her with some kind of comfort.

* * *

Seifer's eyes slowly slid shut, as he began to drift away. Noticing this because she had a flashlight pointed in his face. Thinking up something quick, she began speaking to him again. "Seifer, if you stay awake, then we can have sex again when you recover!"

Hearing this, Seifer immediately snapped awake, with new determination to stay conscious. Even though the darkness around him sought to swallow him into an infinity of lifelessness, he knew he could get through it.

All he had to do was stay concentrated on Quistis. She was amazing. Looking at her wasn't enough. But staring, and trying desperately not to blink for the fear that you would miss anything was the closest you could ever come. And she had great rack, too.

* * *

Selphie sat in the waiting room, sobbing. The doctor followed her in, sitting next to her and hugging her to his chest. "Listen, I don't really know if you believe in God or not, but I've seen enough to say he exists. And I can tell that your friend was a good man. Don't worry, he's in a better place."

Selphie pulled back, and looked at the doctor. She couldn't speak, and only nodded. The doctor placed a hand on her shoulder. "Is there anything you need?"

Selphie thought for a moment. It seemed a bit heartless to worry about her stomach at a time like this, but she was rather hungry. "Do you have any vending machines?"

Before the doctor could speak, one of the nurses busted through the doors, panting. "Doctor… The… Patient… He's alive!"

"What?" The doctor said in surprise, jumping up and following the nurse out the door. Selphie's heart leapt. How could he be alive? She had to see for herself.

She stepped into the hall, making her way for the emergency room, following close behind the doctor and nurse.

"What happened?" The doctor inquired.

"We don't know! We were preparing the body, and cleaning up the mess when suddenly his heart jump started itself." The nurse replied.

"But if he was dead for that long, wouldn't he be brain dead?" The tall doctor asked.

"It's possible, but we have to try." The nurse continued.


	15. Chapter 15

The Mountains Win Again 

A/N: Sorry about the wait, but I've been extremely busy. This chapter will probably be a little short, but hey, at least it's something.

Chapter 15

Seifer was starting to lose consciousness. If the medics didn't tend to him soon, he wasn't going to make it. He examined his severed right arm, the disembodied appendage laying in a large pool of blood. Then, he looked at his elbow. The cut was horrible.

The chances of the arm being reattached were slim to none. "Oh, shit." He said, assessing the damage. It seemed he would spend the rest of his life without a right arm. Just when things were going good for him, something like this had to happen. God had a strange sense of humor.

Quistis was growing anxious. Or, it was more fitting to say she was growing _more_ anxious. The blonde strode toward the lead medic, a disgruntled look on her face. "Is there any chance that you might be able to get him out of there _today?_" She said, frustrated.

"Calm down ma'am, our equipment is up, we are preparing to lift him out of the shaft." He replied.

……………….

Selphie sat anxiously in the waiting room, awaiting Zell's results. The nerve racking situation took it's toll on her entire body, making her a complete mess. She had finally made up her mind. If Zell made it out of this, she would confess her feelings.

Within minutes, the doctor stepped out of the emergency room, a grim look on his face.

Selphie stood up quickly, wringing her hands nervously. "Is he ok?"

"Yes, he's stable, but…" The doctor started.

"But what?" Selphie's heart sank.

"He has sustained serious head damage. I'm afraid his intellect will be effected, to an extent I cannot fully determine yet. Although, the only thing I can definitively tell you is that his IQ will sufer at least a fifteen point drop."

Selphie let out a sigh of relief. He may not have shown it, but Zell was a smart guy. His IQ was 135, and so even extensive damage would leave him at an average level of intelligence. "Can I see him?" Selphie asked hopefully.

"Yes, you can." The doctor said, gesturing in the direction of his room.

The brunette made her way toward the blonde's room, thankful that he was alive. As she stepped through the doorway, she saw him, laying on the bed, barely conscious. "Hey." She said quietly. Zell's head shifted, meeting her gaze.

"How are you feeling?" Selphie asked.

"That's a… Stupid question." Zell said weakly, smiling.

Selphie smiled back, and took a seat in the chair next to the bed. Slowly, she grasped his bruised hand, looking upon his battered body. "Listen, I need to tell you something. I was afraid to tell you before because I wasn't sure you felt the same. I guess being rejected by Irvine caused that…"

Zell coughed slightly. "If you don't mind, cut to the… Chase." Zell mumbled.

Selphie nodded, squeezing his hand. "Zell, I love you. I want to be with you."

Zell's eyes widened slightly, showing the surprise that filled him. Of all things he thought she might say, this was the last thing he would've expected. "I'm sorry…" Zell started, as Selpie's heart sank once again, until Zell finished his sentence. "That we have to confess our love for each other in such a damn screwed up situation, but I feel the same.

……………..

The wench on the ambulance began to lift Seifer from the shaft, as the one armed blonde, strapped to the stretcher came into Quistis's view. She immediately cringed at his situation.

Slowly, the medics loaded Seifer into the ambulance.

Quistis leapt forward, just before the doors closed. "I love you!" She exclaimed. She thought it would be the last words he would ever hear her say.


	16. Chapter 16

The Mountains Win Again 

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter, as always. I'm not sure how many chapters are left, but I think the story's over half finished. Uh… Sorry for my rude note a few chapters back, I was being an ass. If you want to swear in reviews, I'm fine with it.

------------------------------------

The doors of the ambulance clicked shut, with Seifer lying helpless on a stretcher, the medics frantically hooking up every piece of equipment at their disposal. It was no use. He was beginning to fade.

Seifer began to lose consciousness, his eyelids becoming heavier by the second. The world went dark, as his mind lost hold of his body.

"He's flat-lining!" was the last thing Seifer heard.

-----------

Zell grunted, tying to hide the pain caused when he breathed. "So did the doctor say how long I'd be in here for?"

"No, he didn't specify." Selphie replied. "It could be awhile though."

"Fine by me. I could use some rest anyway." He said, weakly.

Before another word was said, Quistis came bolting through the door.

"Quistis!" Selphie greeted, surprised.

"You're not going to believe this." Quistis said, breathing heavily.

"What?" Zell and Selphie said in perfect unison.

"It's Seifer… He had an accident." Tears began to form in her eyes.

"What happened?" Selphie asked, astonished.

"The elevator at the garden failed. He… Lost his arm. I don't think he'll make it." She said, the hopelessness evident in her voice. She had given up. It only made sense that now, once they had grown to love one another, he would be taken away for good.

"Quistis… I'm so sorry." Zell said, berating himself for the way he had acted as of late. He would probably never see Seifer again, and the last memories he had of Zell would be unpleasant ones.

"Don't be." Quistis replied. "He held nothing against you." She said, reading the shorter Seed's mind.

"I know but…"

"Shut up Zell." Quistis ordered.

"Yeah, okay." He replied.

--------------

The ambulance hastily pulled into the hospital carport. Quickly, out came Seifer again, still physically dead.

"We have to get to the ER quickly! He's still flat lining. He'll be brain dead if we don't hurry." One of the doctors yelled.

Quistis stepped out into the hall, just in time to see Seifer go by. "Hyne… Please let him make it." She muttered, cradling her head in her hands.


	17. Chapter 17

**_The Mountains Win Again_**

A/N: Hey, time for another update. The last one was really short, so I'm going to make this one a bit longer. I think you'll like the twist I'm about to introduce. This chapter, and probably the next one, will really build on Seifer's relationship with Zell.

-----------------------

Seifer weakly grunted, awaking to a glorious sight. Peacefully standing over him was Quistis, although she looked much more ragged out than normal. Her hair, normally either in a bun, or combed out straight to perfection, was a bit of a mess.

"Hey." She smiled.

"How long was I out? He groaned, remembering everything up to the moment he had lost consciousness.

"You've been slipping in and out of consciousness for the lest few days." She said, happy to see him awake. "The doctors said it was the anesthesia, and not a coma."

"What about my arm?" He asked, too scared to glance over himself.

Quistis dropped her gaze, having mixed feelings over the matter. "They successfully reattached it, but they said it could take months of therapy to recover, and even then it's only likely to work halfway. Not to mention you'll have a hell of a scar."

Seifer chuckled. "At least it's there." Scanning the room, he realized where he was, and who was in the next bed. He had been given the same room as Zell.

"I'm exhausted." Quistis sighed, even though she didn't really have to say it, since it was evident by her appearance. Seifer didn't dare point that out, though.

"Go home."

"What?" She asked, surprised.

"Go home. Get some sleep. I'll be fine here with Chicken-Wuss." He said, gesturing to Zell, who was fast asleep on the other side of the room.

"Alright." She replied, reluctantly. Although she was surprised, she knew exactly what Seifer's intentions were. Gathering her things, she bid Seifer farewell and headed for the door. Just before she stepped out, his voice halted her again.

"Hey." He beckoned.

"Yes?' She cocked an eyebrow.

"Thanks." He said, almost shyly.

"For what?" She asked.

"For everything." He replied.

"Any time." She replied, smiling caringly once more before finally leaving.

Laying his head back onto his pillow, he sighed lightly, his eyes wandering to window. Of all the places he expected to be, this wasn't one.

Hours went by, and the daylight waned. Finally, Zell awoke from his slumber. Taking a look around the room, he realized Seifer was coherent.

"Hey!" He said, enthusiastically, before groaning from the pain associated with talking.

"Hey." Seifer replied.

"You're awake." Zell observed.

"No shit." Seifer nodded.

"Bastard…" Zell muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Just kidding." Seifer smiled slightly.

"You almost didn't make, you know." Zell said, looking toward the end of his bed.

Seifer struggled to hold in a laugh. "No shit." He said again.

"God-damnit!" Zell yelled, before groaning again.

Seifer let go a laugh, seeing Zell hurt himself through his own frustration. Seeing the humor in the situation as well, Zell laughed lightly as well. Before the two knew it, they were actually getting along.

"So where's Messenger Girl?" Seifer asked, scratching the back of his head.

"She's at the Garden, as far as I know. She came to visit yesterday, but I haven't seen her since. I kind of expected her to visit more, being that we're sort of a couple now…" Zell trailed off.

Seifer looked astonished for a moment, before opening his mouth to speak. "So you mean you're not homosexual?"

"No." Zell said, obviously not amused.

"Sorry." Seifer laughed out loud.

"You know, before you made that joke, I actually felt bad about the way I've treated you for the past seven years." Zell said, straight faced.

"Really? I couldn't tell." Seifer replied, as the conversation began to turn sour.

"I'm tired of everyone making gay jokes about me…" Zell trailed off.

"Zell, grow the fuck up." Seifer was about to fold his arms, but then he remembered he couldn't move one of them.

"Grow up? GROW UP?" Zell yelled, ignoring the pain in his stomach and back. "Since when do twenty-five year old men make gay jokes? What are you, in junior high or something?"

"Uh…" Seifer paused. "Shut up, Chicken-Wuss."

"Same old thing." Zell shook his head.

Seifer snickered, shaking his own head as well. "We're just like siblings."

"Unfortunately." Zell smirked, doing a perfect impression of the taller blonde.

"Frickin' hell…" Seifer retorted with his own impression of Zell.

-----------------------------

A/N: And there you have it. It was a little longer than normal, but hey. Review, people.


	18. Chapter 18

**_The Mountains Win Again_**

A/N: Eighteenth chapter! We're getting closer and closer to the end. I'm aiming for somewhere around 25 chapters.

I'd like to thank That-FF13-girl, Verdanii (I can't say I remember anyone else calling me "babes" though), Daniel Wesley Rydell, and everyone else who's stuck with and continued to support this fic in my year-long absence. You guys really motivate me.

Also, I've got another unrelated fic already planned after this one is done. For more information, view my profile, as it should say a little about it under my "Upcoming fics" section.

------------------------------------------

Seifer's eyes fixed upon the white wall before him. It was late… Almost daylight. He sighed lightly, looking over at the clock. 5:15, it read.

As the hours slowly passed, he didn't make a sound. He hadn't seen Quistis since he woke up, as Cid had her weighed down with tons of work, and extra classes, Zell had been moved to another room, and of course there was no sign of the little messenger girl.

For the first time since his suicide attempt, he felt lonely. Not lonely on the surface, but deeply lonely. His time at Garden was waning. Unless he became a Seed, he would be gone in less than a month.

Over the past week in the hospital, he had undergone intensive therapy, and radical healing procedures. He had regained partial control over his arm, but still experienced intense pain if he was too rough. The doctors had him pumped up on steroids and protein supplements, speeding up the healing process.

Despite everything, He felt as if he was becoming more of a hassle to Quistis than an asset. He had no doubts that she cared for him, but it was a horrible feeling.

How had things come to this again? He quickly pushed the thoughts from his mind, attributing them to the medication, and his situation.

As the week progressed, he was told by one of the nurses that Quistis had come to see him, but he was asleep at the time, and she didn't want to wake him. "Great." He thought.

With each passing day, and no Quistis, no Zell, no messenger girl, he began to wonder. Maybe he was asking for it. Maybe they were right in hating him. Maybe he was asking too much.

Finally, the day came. The day he was to be released from the hospital. Slowly, He walked up to the front desk, dropping his bags.

"Information, please." The attendant said, in a male voice, followed by a heavy sigh.

"Here you go." Seifer said, handing over his ID. "Is something wrong?" He asked casually.

"Everything's wrong." The attendant replied. "This job doesn't pay well, my parents are saying I'm too old to still live at home, and my mom took away my pot."

"Well, how old _are_ you?" Seifer asked.

"35." The attendant replied.

Shortly after, he noticed the attendant sounded and looked familiar. Upon looking closer, he recognized him. "Wedge?" He asked.

"Almasy?" Wedge gasped. "Get out of my hospital!" He yelled, handing Seifer back his ID and shooing him away.

He promptly grabbed a train, then a boat, and slowly made his way back to Balamb. The moon hung high over him, and the light from Balamb Garden's rings gleamed off of his expressionless face, as he stood before the gates of the massive structure. It seemed like it had been ages since he had last been here, and he wasn't too eager to ever set foot on the elevator again, even though it had been repaired and was probably even stronger than before.

He experienced a strange sense of déjà vu as he walked the dimly illuminated halls of the Garden. Finally, he found himself before Quistis' door.

Almost with a breath of nervousness, he inserted his key card, and with a beep, the door quietly opened.

He stepped in silently, setting his bags in the corner, next to the couch. He wasn't to see Quistis sleeping peacefully in her bed, being that it was after midnight.

Casually, he removed his shoes and jacket, changing into more comfortable clothes. He stepped out of the bathroom, with an almost abscent smile on his face. Striding over to the bed, he knelt down slowly, his left hand moving to brush a few stray strands of hair from her angelic face. She looked so peaceful when she slept. He simply knelt, admiring for a time, occasionally reaching out his hand to caress the soft skin of her cheeks.

She began to stir, opening her eyes slowly; to see the tall blonde she missed having around. "Hi." She smiled sleepily.

"Hi." He replied.

"When did you get back?" She yawned.

"Not too long ago.." He blinked.

"I was going to pick you up tomorrow." She informed.

"I know." He smiled. "But I wanted to come home early."

Quistis scooted over, pulling back the covers to make way for him. He stretched his upper body, before carefully climbing into bed, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Good night." He whispered.

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A/N: Oy vey! This chapter really took it out of me. Review, biotches : p


	19. Chapter 19

_**The Mountains Win Again**_

A/N: Chapter 19! Getting closer and closer. I'm sort of in a dilemma as to where I want to go next, and how I want to end this fic. I have a few vague ideas, but I'm thinking maybe you guys can leave a few suggestions in your reviews.

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Seifer blinked sleepily, as he started the coffee pot. He had to get back into the habit of getting up early, if he was to return to work for his seed exam. He didn't intend to leave the Garden, after all he had done to rebuild his relationship with the others.

Quistis awoke slowly, the smell of coffee filling her nostrils. With a yawn, she looked to the kitchen, to see Seifer standing at the coffee pot. " That smells wonderful." She said, sitting up. "What time is it?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Around seven I think." He replied.

"Wow." Quistis started. "I don't think you've been up this early in awhile. Not since you moved in, at least. Any particular reason for your change in habit?" She asked, well aware his time was running out.

"Well, I've made a decision."

Her expression brightened, waiting for the good news.

"I'm taking the Seed exam one last time." He said, wiping the table with a wet cloth. "I don't want to leave."

She smiled inwardly, having received the answer she wanted.

"You know…" She thought. "Pretty soon, Garden Faculty will realize you're well again, and you'll have to move back into your own dorm."

"Well what about Squall and Rinoa? They're living together, aren't they?" He tossed the rag in the sink, walking over to sit next to her on the bed.

"Squall's the commander, and has been for almost a decade now. Do you really think Cid would have the balls to reprimand him?"

"True…" He scratched his head. "And we all know how the bastard has it out for me. He would raise hell if I was to live here permanently."

"So what do we do?" She asked, sighing.

"I don't know." He replied. "I don't care where we end up, as long as we don't have to hide our relationship."

"Maybe later today I can go talk to Cid about it. He's an understanding man, when Squall isn't using him to control the Garden. If I can get him on our side before Squall gets a hold of him, we may have a chance." She speculated. "But first, I need to get dressed."

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Quistis stepped into Cid's office, dressed in her normally formal attire.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Cid asked, from behind his desk.

"Yes." She said, gently setting her binders on his desk as she sat down. "It's about Seifer."

"Poor problematic Seifer…" Cid shook his head.

"He has grown aware that his time in the Garden in coming to a close. He told me personally that he plans to take the exam once more, as he wants to remain here indefinitely."

"And?" Cid asked, not seeing the point in her words.

"In the event that he is allowed to stay, would it be beyond decency for him to remain living with me?"

"Absolutely. I'm afraid I cannot allow such behavior." Cid replied.

"But as an instructor shouldn't I…" Quistis began, baiting Cid into a defeat.

"No one is above the rules." Cid stated, forcefully.

"What about Squall and Rinoa?" Quistis smirked, as it was now obvious to Cid what she had lured him into.

"Err…" Cid paused, a blank expression on his face.

"I'll need you to sign this clearance form allowing Seifer to live in my dorm for as long as I wish to allow." She smiled, handing Cid a piece of paper.

Cid sighed and applied his signature. "Crafty, as always. Just the way I taught you." He chuckled.

"I learned from the best." She smiled, taking the form and walking out.

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The door on Quistis' dorm slid open, as the blonde stepped in, holding the form just signed by Cid.

"How'd it go?" Seifer asked, walking out from the kitchen.

A smile on her face, she held up the form, with Cid's stamp of approval. Seifer's eyes brightened, his lips curling up into the biggest smile she had ever seen on his face. She squealed in excitement as he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground.

He gently kissed her on the lips, a she looked down on him from above. "You know…" She started. "It's a whole hour until my next class." She said, with a seductive smile.

_To be continued…_


	20. Chapter 20

_**The Mountains Win Again**_

A/N: I think we have just a few chapters here to go. Been forever since I updated. I'm eager to wrap up this fic and look into writing some different FF8 stories. Enjoy

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Seifer's gunblade whistled through the air, striking the grat perfectly. The creature fell dead, with a howl. "I still got it." Seifer smirked, sheathing his gunblade. "Almost..." He frowned, fingering his aching right arm. It had been a few weeks since his return to Garden, and with all the healing supplements and steroids in his system, he was mostly recovered. Although, he wasn't quite what he had been before. His right arm was a bit sluggish, and at times felt a bit weak.

Since the accident, his left hand hand had become the more dominant of the two, and he had even begun to use his gunblade in his left hand as well. It was almost like learning all over again. But considering the state of his right arm, left was clearly the better option.

Silently, he looked over the battered remains of the beast which he had just wasted. His eyes emanated the cold, emotionless stare he had learned to conjure so effectively. He had grown more and more somber as the date of his upcoming Seed exam approached. So much so that Quistis had actually sat him down and pointed it out.

"Hey." He heard a voice from behind him. It wasn't a kind voice by any stretch of the imagination. Almost hostile sounding, but more along the lines of a distant, confrontational tone. He cooly turned to look at the person behind him, not surprised to see Squall Leonhart in his signature pose. Arms folded, one knee bent, and frown plastered across his face.

"Yes?" Seifer asked, his posture still and cautious, his eyes fixed firmly on the commander before him.

"You intend to take the Seed exam, correct?" Squall inquired, without the slightest change in tone.

"Yes I do. Why is this your concern? Cid handles Seed recruitment duties." Seifer pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Not anymore." He smirked. "And considering it's entirely up to me whether you'll be staying in this facility or not, I would say you should tread carefully."

"You're a bastard." Seifer replied, once again in an unwavering matter-of-fact tone, as he placed his hands in his pockets, and steadily walked past his fundamental adversary, and out of the training center.

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Quistis' pen clattered to her desk, as she began to massage her forehead. She had a raging headache, and piles of work to do. She also had been spending less time with Seifer as of late. With her demanding job, and his preoccupation with his Seed exam, they just didn't have the time or energy for each other anymore.

She looked up sharply, slightly startled by the knock on her door. "Come in." She said.

The door opened slowly, and in walked Seifer. Normally she would be elated to see him, but he didn't look too happy. "What's wrong?" She asked, reading his demeanor with ease.

"What's wrong?" He repeated the question. "Puberty boy is now in charge of seed exams." He said flatly, plopping down in a chair in the corner."

"Ooh..." She winced unconvincingly "Tough break."

"This isn't funny, damn it!" He stood up briskly.

"I'm sorry." She shook her head. "It's just... Wow, when it rains, it pours."

"What are you talking about?" He asked frustratedly, looking out the window.

"Ha, sometimes I could swear Hyne hates us."

"I wouldn't doubt it." He concurred. "I have to go." He said, as he made for the door.

"I love you." She said. Unfortunately, by the time she said it, he was out the door. She simply shook her head and resumed her work.

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A/N: Short chapter, I know... It's getting close. About 2-3 chapters left I think.


	21. Chapter 21

The Mountains Win Again

Chapter Twenty-One - Betrayed

A/N: One chapter to go after this one! This isn't my best writing, by the way :p

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Seifer woke suddenly, lifting his head from the sand. He had been passed out on this beach for at least a day or so. He was incredibly lucky just to be alive.

Laborously, he struggled to his feet and attempted to dust himself off. His previously flawless gray trenchcoat had been ripped, tattered, and discolored by the events of the days before.

Unable to locate his gunblade, and unsure of his surroundings, he was in deep shit to say the least.

Looking out into the sea before him, he sighed in frustration. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" he asked himself. Falling back into a sitting position on the beach, his head in his hands, he began to relive the events prior to his washing up on this unknown beach.

_"So could you clarify, at what part of Esthar are we going to be landing?" Seifer asked from his sitting position in the Garden sea-vessel, similar to those used in the SeeD exam from years before after which Squall and his peers were promoted._

_"You..." Squall started, standing in front of the briefing screen. "Won't be arriving anywhere in Esthar."_

_"What?" Seifer cocked an eyebrow in response._

_"Men... You know what to do." The commander said, looking at the other two SeeD candidates in the vessel, and gesturing toward Seifer. _

_The men immediately stood up, each one attempting to grab Seifer by an arm._

_"You fucking peice of shit!" Seifer roared, sending a stiff backfist into the nose of the man on his left. Blood pouring from his nose, he crumbled backward. The blonde then abruptly threw his other attacker over his shoulder, breaking the man's arm in the process. "This was your plan all along!"_

_Reacting quickly, Squall darted forward, drawing his gunblade. Aiming a powerful downward slash for Seifer's shoulder, he intended to end the confrontation decisively. _

_Seifer's superior skill saw him through, however, and he managed to dodge the attack. The commander's jaw was broken when he was jarred by a left-hook to the chin, dropping his weapon. Dazed, he was tackled to the floor by his combatant, and the two landed in front of the door, the gunblade now in Seifer's hands as he prepared to finish him off._

_Squall would have surely died, had he not drawn a small pistol from his right pocket. Pressing it against Seifer's side, he pulled the trigger._

_The color drained from Seifer's face as he realized he had been bested. "Damn you to hell. Quistis... She will learn of this." he said weakly._

_The commander sneered, reaching over to press the button which opened the door, before flipping Seifer off of him and through the door, into the open sea._

Seifer clutched his side, still in pain. Squall had foolishly believed the wound was lethal when it clearly wasn't. "Overconfident as always." he shook his head.

Standing up again, he knew he had to discover his whereabouts, or else he _would_ die of his wounds in a matter of days. On one side, endless ocean. On the other, thick jungle.

"Jungle..." he said. "That's no jungle." he suddenly realized exactly where he was. As quickly as he could move with his injuries, he approached the illusion before him. As he passed the treeline, it disappeared, and he found himself in a large area of grassplains. Nearly a quarter of a mile northwest was the magnificent nation known as Esthar.

Donning his signature smirk, he began making his way toward the city.


	22. Chapter 22

The Mountains Win Again

Chapter Twenty-Two - Finale

A/N: Okay, so this is the end. I've been working on this fic for so long, it's become a part of my life. Once it's all over with, I just might cry. Either way, I'm looking forward to finishing this up and starting anew. I originally intended to write out an elaborate SeeD exam, but I figured I'd half-ass it to an extent. I just wish I could finish this while you were all still following it. I'm going with a simple epilouge this time around. I know it's a disappointment, but I'm afraid my writing skills hav diminished to the extent that I didn't have what it would take to write what I originally intended.

I'd like to extend a special thanks to druggo-frog, Daniel Wesley Rydell, Verdanii, xXxTifa LockhartxXx, QueenAdreena, Jasmine32, Leonhart17, Draven Nightly, and everyone else who has contributed to this fic through reviews, and anyone at all who has offered encouragement. I love and appreciate you all, and hope to see more of you.

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The sun was shining bright in the small Timber neighborhood Seifer and Quistis had made their home. It had been five years to the day since Seifer had been betrayed by Squall and SeeD during what was supposed to be his final exam. After washing up on an Esthar beach and making his way back to Balamb, he engaged in a tearful reunion with Quistis before getting a small apartment in Balamb and filing a lawsuit against the Garden.

It had taken two years, but they eventually won their case and were awarded several million Gil by the Balamb government. The Garden was disbanded, and it's members scattered. Most of them left for Galbadia. Some went to Esthar. Still some, such as Zell Dincht and Selphie Tilmitt, opted to stay in Balamb town. Meanwhile, Squall and a few other SeeD involved had been indicted and subsequently imprisoned. Rinoa hadn't been heard from since, and was supposedly somewhere in Esthar. Cid was also indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, but was aquitted after testimony from Quistis supporting the idea that he had no knowledge of the attempted murder.

A car slowly pulled up, coming to a stop in front of the modestly-sized house. The driver's side door opened, and out stepped Seifer. His old trench coat had been ruined in his ordeal years before, and so now he often wore a brown turtleneck instead. He smiled faintly, releasing a sigh of satisfaction as he turned the doorknob and stepped inside the house. Quistis was nearby on the couch, about to dose off into an afternoon slumber.

"Hey." She smiled, looking up at him with sleepy eyes.

"Hey yourself." He replied, sitting next to her. Wrapping his right arm around her shoulders, he pulled her closer, kissing her gently on the temple.

"How was work?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder, while keeping her eyes trained on the television.

"Oh, it was fine." Seifer scratched his head, before tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. Although he didn't need to, he had been working at the broadcasting station for nearly three years now. He only had part-time hours, but a the little bit of activity kept him healthy. "When will our guests be arriving?" He asked.

"They left Balamb this morning. They should be arriving any-" Before she could finish, the doorbell rang. "Speak of the devil." She laughed.

The couple lifted themselves off of the couch, heading over to the door in order to greet their guests. Quistis opened the door briskly, revealing the familiar faces of Zell and Selphie. The two immediately stepped in, an invitation being unneccessary. Zell, as usual, greeted Seifer with a huge bear-hug, laughter filling the room.

"Wow, it's been years." Seifer said, releasing his smaller friend from his grasp. "Way too long."

"Damn right." Zell replied. "And from the looks of it, Quistis has been feeding you a little too well." he followed up, pointing out the small amount of weight Seifer had gained.

"Watch it, you." Seifer put on a deadpan expression, before cracking up.

Still laughing, the group headed into the living room, each taking a seat.

"So Selphie..." Quistis began, crossing her legs as she sat elegantly on the sofa. "What's new?"

"Zell and I are considering moving to Timber for good!" Selphie squealed in response.

Quistis' eyes widened in surprise. "Oh. That's great."

Meanwhile, Zell and Seifer had engaged in a political conversation, covering various topics. As the afternoon wore on, and the evening wound down, it became clear that although things would never be the same as their old Garden days, they could still look forward, to the future. And although circumstances weren't always encouraging... At least for today, that future looked bright.

THE END.


End file.
